Counting machine



Jan. 1 y

E. P. DONNELLAN COUNTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 1 a

E. P. DONNELLAN COUNTING MACHINE 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6

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E. P. DONNELLAN COUNTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 6 1922 MM d d p I 9 E. P. DONNELLAN Jan. 1, 1924 COUNTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6. 1922 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Patented Jan. 1, 1924."

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca,

EDWARD-P. DON'NELLAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO STANDARD JOHN SON 00., INC., 01 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COUNTING MACHINE.

Application filed January 6, 1922. Serial No. 627,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. -DONNEL- LAN a citizen of the United States residin at rooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Machines; and I do hereby declare the fo lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will able others skilled in appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which, form cation.

The present invention relates, generally to improvements in counting machines of the general type illustrated and described in prior United States Letters Patent 1,160,830, dated November 16th, 1915, and #1,389,634, dated September 6th, 1921.; and this invention counting substantially flat disc-like objects such as coins, bottle seals,.buttons, tokens, metal blanks, etc, in lots of comparatively large predetermined number, and to this end a 'novel tallying mechanism is provided,

which automatically looks when the last object of the lot is tallied and delivered out of the machine.

The invention, therefore, has for its prin-.

cipal object to provide an improved tallying mechanism for counting machines; and the invention has for its further object to provide improvements in the means forfeed in objects into operative relation to said ta ying mechanism.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated,-

will be clearl understood from the followin detailed escription of the same.

ith the objects of the invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel improved counting machine hereinafter set forth; and, furthermore, this invention consists in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the claims which are appended thereto.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Wh1CllZ-- Figure 1 is an end elevation, Figure 2 a the art to which it a part of this specifi refers to a machine forplan view, and Figure 3 a front elevation of the novel improved counting mach1ne, made according to and embodying theprinciples of this invention.

Fi re 4 is a detail plan view of the novel tallying mechanism, with'the enclosing casmg removed, said view being drawn on an enlarged scale; and (Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of said novel tallying'mech anism, the enclosing broken away, said view on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical section, taken on line 6-6 in said Figure 3, said view hebeing also drawn ing drawn on an enlarged scale.

imilar characters of reference are em ployed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character -1' indicates the bed-plate of the machine, the same having a vert1-- cally disposed central bearin 2 in which is journaled a vertical spin le 3 to the up er end of which is fixed a rotatable tab e 4 preferably flush with the upper surface ofsaid bed-plate. Secured upon the lower end of said spindle 3 is a bevel ear 5. Pro'ecting from the under :side 0% said bedate,

'at suitable lbcations, are a pan of a' ed 86 bearings 6 in which is journaled a transaft 7. Secured upon the inner end of sa1d shaft 7 is a bevel gear .8 which meshes operatively with said bevel-gear of u said spindle 3. Secured upon the outer end of said transverse shaft 7 is a hand-wheel 9, the same being provided with a suitable handle-member 10 for rotating the same and said shaft 7 whereby through the interconnectln' 4 is revo ved. Connected with said shaft" 7 is a grooved pulley 11 for driving aibelt 12, the purpose of which will be subsequently' described.

Mounted upon said bed-plate 1, so as to be registered above said table 4, is an article guiding and controlling means, comprising an annular vertical wall portion 13, from the lower end or bottom of which extends an outwardly projecting horizontal flange portion 14. Said annular wall portion 13 incloses an article receivingtspace or chamber 15 in which the articles to-be counted are deposited, said space or chamber being open at the top, and

casing being in part 65 the upper surface of which is 80.

transmission elements the table 95 said rotatable ,table munication with the interior of said chamher 15. Said stop-shoulder 17 provides a circular guide or stop whereby articles entering said runway 16 are guided to a place of discharge as the same are carried around by the rotation of the table 4. A portion of said stop shoulder 17 is cutaway at one point, toward the front ofthe machine, to provide a discharge opening or passage 18 through which the articles leave sa d runway 16 to be propelled into actuat1ng engagement with a tallying mechanism. When the machine is adapted to count or -tally articles such as bottle caps or seals '(which are usually comprised of a metallic body having an inner lining of cork or the like), it is advisable to mount said flangeportion 14 relative to the table 4 and bedplate 1, so that a slight escape-space 19 is provided for intermediate the bottom of saidstop-shoulder 17 and the plane of sald table and bedlate surface. This escapespace 19 is of ess heighth than the thickness of the article to be counted, so that notwithstanding the provision of said space the article will engage and be operatively guided by said stop-shoulder 17. The said escape space 19, however, is sufliciently large to permit loose pieces of cork lining or other particles of dirt or foreign material to be flung outwardly therethrough ,by the centrifugal action produced by the rotating table 4, and by such means the machine is kept clean, and danger of such pieces of cork, dirt or foreign material clogging up the runway 16, or finding access toand interfering with the proper action of the tallying mechanism is eliminated. The means for fastening the article guiding and controlling means thus constructed in the described spaced relation/to the table 4 and bed-plate 1, comprises a plurality of threaded posts 20 provided with spacing bosses or shoulders 21, which are fixed to said base-plate 1. That part of the flangeportion 14 lying outward from the stopshoulder 17 is provided with perforations or other suitably formed openings through which said posts 20 may extend, and thumbnuts 22 are screwed upon said posts 20 to fasten the article guiding and controlling means in proper assembled position. When the guiding and controlling means is secured to the base-plate 1 as above described, the spacing bosses or shoulders 21 so determine the elevation of the flange-portion 14 that the height of the runway 16 is just sufficient Said to admit edgewise beneath the flange-portion 14 and against stop-shoulder 17 the articles to be counted, without permitting the said articles to pile upon one another or overlap each other within said runway. The articles thus admitted into said runway form a continuous train which is moved around the,

runway by the rotation of the table 4, so

that the articles are successively carried to thefidischarge openingv or passage leading out of said runway.

Fixed on said bed-plate 1 is a bearing frame comprising a base-portion 23 and a pair of bearing posts 24. J ournaled in said bearing posts 24 is a countershaft 25, upon the outer end of which is fixed a grooved pulley wheel 26 over which runs the heretofore described belt 12 which is operated from the main shaft 7 by the pulley .11, thus driving said counter-shaft 25. Fixed on the inner end of said counter-shaft 25 is a grooved propeller wheel 27. Pivoted on said counter-shaft 25, adjacent to said propeller wheel 27 is a bracket arm 28, having at its free end an axle stud 29 upon which is journaled a grooved idler wheel 30 of comparatively small diameter. Running over said propeller wheel 27 and said idler wheel 30 is a propeller belt 31 which is preferably made of soft rubber or some similar material having a desirable degree of resiliency. A rotation of said propeller wheel 27 throws downwardly said bracket arm to carry the inner end of said propeller belt 31 downwardly so that it crosses transversely the runway 16 opposite the discharge opening or passage 18, whereby the articles as they pass around through the-runway are moved into direct engagement with the inner en l.

its bearings as to possess a tension governed vertical movement in said bearings so that the said propeller wheel 25 and its propeller belt' 31 may readily and easily accommodate its operation, without undue strain or pressure to anyvariations in the thickness of the articles operated upon. bearings are constructed to permit a vertical play of the counter-shaft 25, and the caps of said bearings are provided with To this end said spring pressedplungers 32, which exert a downward tensional thrust on said countershaft, thus permittingthe latter, and the propeller devices thereof, to rise against the tension of said yieldable plungers.

counting wheels or gears according to the grand total desired. The novel tallying mechanism comprises a star wheel or coun-,

ter-disc 33 provided in its periphery with a series of marginal depressions 34 adapted to be engaged by the perimeters of the articles propelled into actuating contact therewith by the operation of the propeller'devices. The said star wheel 33 is fixed upon a vertical spindle 35 which is journaled in the bed-plate -1, and sovpositioned that said;

sesses at its front portion a depending apron 61 which over-hangs and covers the tallystar wheel lies fl'a't upon the surface of said bed-plate. Mounted on said spindle 35 is a ratchet or stop-wheel 36, which is engaged by the free end' of a pivoted spring-pressed pawl 37, whereby backward rotation of said star-wheel 33, and the spindle thereof is prevented. Also fixed on said spindle is a spur gear 38. Mounted on said bed-plate on a verticalfjournal stud 39, so as to rotate in a horizontal plane, is a secondary counter disc or gear 40 which meshes with said spur gear 38. Fixed on said secondary counter isc or gear 40 is a carry-over or transfer dog 41. Journaled in said bed-plate is a vertical spindle 42, upon which is fixed a horizontal primary transfer disc 43 having a plurality of peripheral teeth 44 engageable by said carry-over or transfer dog 41 of said secondary counter disc. or gear 40. Fixed on said transfer disc 43 is acarry-over or transfer dog 45. Also fixed on said spindle 42 beneath said transfer disc 43 is a ratchet or stop-wheel 46 having teeth corresponding 1 innumber to the number of said teeth 44 of the transfer disc 43. Mounted on said base-plate is pivoted spring-pressed pawl 47 tical flange or bracket plate 48. Journaled in said flange or bracket plate 48 is an outwardly extending spindle 49 upon which is fixed a vertically disposed tally disc 50 hav ing a plurality of peripheral teeth 51 eng'ageable by said carry-over or transfer dog 45 of said transfer disc 43'. Mounted on mounted thereon said flange or bracket-plate 48 is a springpressed pivoted pawl 52 which engages the teeth 51' of said tally-disc to prevent backward rotation of the same. Associated with the face of said tally disc 50, is a stop-latch device comprising a hub-portion 53' pivoted on said spindle 49, and from which extend, in diametrically opposite directions,a long or complete revolution stop-latch 54, and a short or half revolution stop-latch 55/ '-.Fixed upon the face of said tally-disc 50in a suitable position is an abutment 56, the same having a socket 57 in which is seated a compression spring 58 which bears or thrusts against one of said stop-latches (as 54) to hold the stop-latchdevice in normal initial position relative to a stop-projection 59 also fixed on said tally-disc 50, and whereby the stop-latch device'is held in normal limited:

outwardly spaced relation to. ment 56. a I

The reference character 60 indicates a casing or cover member-which is secured over said tallying mechanism to enclose the same. Said casing 0r cover-member 60 possaid abutpiece 62 having a lateral guideway 63 in which is-slidably mounted a barrel or stop carrier 64. Arranged in said stop-carrier is p a stop post 65, having a shank 66 (see Fig. 12) of reduced diameter which projec'tsoutwardly from the end of saidbarrel or stopcarrier 64. Threaded on said shank 66 is a pull-knob 67. Arranged around said thrusts said stop-post outwardly from the inner end of said barrel or'stop-carrier 64.

Said apronis provided with a pair of stoppost positioning openings 69 and 70 (see Figs. 3 and 5) through which the free end of said stop-post may be selectively passed to position the same in the path of movement of either the stop-latch54 or the stoplatch 50 as may be desired.

.The spindles 35, 42 and 49 each project outwardly through the casing or cover-mem-.

ber walls, and are respectively provided. on

their outer free.ends with the respective fingerpieces or knobs 71, 72 and 73, whereby the spindles may be respectively turned by hand to set the several counting elements in a normal initial position,

Mounted on said casing or cover-member 60, adjacent to said spindle 35, is avcounter or total adder mechanism 74, the shaft 75 of which is provided with a bevel gear 76 which meshes with a driving bevel gear 77 fixed on said spindle 35, so that as the spindle 35 turns under the impulse of the articles debacking or thrust-plate liveredin actuating relation to the starwheel 33, the counter or total-adder is operated to record and add a unit as each article operatively actuates said star-wheel, thus providing a visible total record of-all articles counted by the operation of the machine.

In order to assure that the articles, as propelled by the propeller devices and propeller belt 31 past the star-wheel 33, operatively engage the same, there is provided a backing or thrust plate 78 which is slidably mounted for limited play in an opposed relation to the periphery of said star-wheel opposite the point wherethe articles opera tively engage the latter. To this end said backing or thrust-plate 78 is longitudinally movable in a guideway provided in the base portion 23 of the, bearings 24. Said backing or thrust-plate 78 is provided in its body. with a longitudinal slot 7 9 which engages a pin 80 fixed to said base-plate 1. The forward end of said backing or thrust-plate 78 is provided with an upturned flange 81,

which is engaged by a thrust spring 82 backed by the base-portion 23,- so that said slight rearward yielding, so as to readily accommodate the same ,to slight variation jamming of the said articles in the diameter of the articles being counted, and so as to thereby eliminate any danger of between the star-wheel and the backing" plate, while nevertheless assuring operative passing engagement of the articles with said starwheel.

In operation the articles are successively gripped by the driving belt 31, and .propelled outwardly from the runway 16, and thence forced to pass between the backing or thrust-plate 7 8 and the star-wheel 33, engaging the seats 'or depressions 34 of the latter, and thus imparting a rotary impulse to said star-wheel 33 and its spindle 35, thereby rotating the gear 38. In the tallying mechanism illustrated in the drawings, which is adapted to count articles in 200 or 100 gross lots, the spur gear 38 which drives the secondary counter disc or gear 40, possesses a 5 to 1 ratio to said gear 40, so that five revolutions of the star-wheel 33 produces one revolution of the gear 40. Since the starwheel makes a complete revolution when actuated by the passing of ten articles in operative en agement therewith, it follows that the passing of fifty articles are required to produce five revolutions of the star-wheel 33 and gear 38 whereby one revolution is transmitted to the secondary counter disc or gear 40. The transfer disc 43 possesses sixteen teeth, and at each revolution of said secondary counter disc or gear 40, the transfer or carry-over dog 41 thereof operatively engages a tooth 44 of the transfer disc 43 to transmit a partial rotary impulse to the star-wheel 78 is mounted for latter, consequently sixteen revolutions of the secondary counter disc or gear 40are required to produce one revolution of the transfer disc 43, which means that sixteen times fifty articles have passed in actuating contact with the star-wheel 33, or eight hundred articles. thirty-six teeth 51, and at each revolution of said transfer disc 43, the transfer or carryover dog 45 of the latteroperatively engages a tooth 51 of said tally disc to transmit a partial quently thirty-six revolutions of said transfer disc are required to produce one complete revolution of the tally disc, which means that thirty-six times eight" hundred articles The tally disc 50 possesses have passedin actuating contact with the 33, or a total of twenty-eight thousand eight hundred, or in other words twohundred gross of articles have been counted. It also follows that a half revolution of the tally disc would mean that eighteen times eight hundred articles have passed in actuating contact with the starwheel 33, or a total of fourteen thousand four hundred, or in otherwords one hundred gross of articles have been counted. When it is desired to count the articles in lots of two-hundreds gross, the stop-post 65 is positioned in the outer opening 69, so that jits free end will project toward said tally" disc 50 to lie in the path of movement orrotation of the long or complete revolution stop-latch 54, but free from or beyond the path of movement or rotation o .the short orhalf-revolution stop-latch 55. The tally disc is now free to make a complete revolution, and as it approaches the end of a complete revolution, said sto -latch 54 is carried into engagement with t e stop-post 65, whereby it is forced against the abutment 56, the spring 58 yielding to such movement, so that said abutment is engaged as the last article of the lot to be counted escapes past the star-wheel 33, and consequently further rotation of the tally disc and the associated tallying mechanism is obstructed, and the machine is stopped against further operation until released. The method of releasingthe machine for furthercounting o erations, consists in imparting an outwar pull to the stop-post 65 which withdraws its free end from engagement with said stop-latch 54, thus permitting the latter to be moved forward by the spring 58 to normal initial post-ion a utting the stop-projection 59. This movement places the end of the stoplatch 54 in front of the end of said stop-post 65, so that asthe latter is released, its spring 68 projects the same forward against the face of the stop-latch 54. Countm operations may now be resumed, since the stoplatch 54 will be carried by the rotary move ment of the'tally disc 50 slidingly beneath the end of the stop-post 65 until the latfer is passed, whereupon-thespring 68 will further project the stop-post inwardly to stand in position to engage the side of the stop-latch 54 as the latter is carried around by a following or successive complete rotation of said tally-disc 50.

If it is desired to count the articles in lots of one hundred gross, the stop-post 65 is pulled outward and the barrel or stopcarrier 64 is shifted sideways or inwardly in the guideway 63 to aline the stop-post 65 with the opening 70. The stop-post 65 being thus positioned, the same is released so that-its spring 68 projects the same inwardly to stand in the path of movement of both the stop-latch 55 and 54. At each half revolution of the tally disc 50 the stop-- latches 55 and 54 will be successively engaged by the stop-post to stop the machine after each count of one-hundred gross is completed. To resume counting after each one hundred gross is obtained, the stop-post 65 is retracted to allow either one or the other of said stop-latches to shift forward beneath the stop-post in the manner clearly. tobe understood from the similar opera-' tions already above.described.

Of course it will be understood that the .tallying mechanism may be modified by suitably changing the ratio of its cooperating parts, so that the same may be adapted to count in lots of comparatively large numbers, such as, e. g., lots of one, five-or ten thousand, etc.; the automatic stop or interruption of the operations upon the completion of the count of each lot being effected in the same manner as above described.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoing s ecification, and as defined in the appended c aims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as described in said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said devices and parts as illustrated in accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. In a counting machine, the combination with a rotatable star-wheel device, of means for successively delivering and propelling articles to be counted in actuating engagement with said star-wheel device, a rotatable tally-disc, accumulative transfer means actuated by said star-wheel device to rotate said tally-disc, an axially pivoted stop-latch device having oppositely extending stop-latches, one of said stop-latches being longer than the other, a retractable spring projected stop means, an adjustable means supporting said stop-means to selectively position the same for projection into the path of movement of said longer stoplatch or into the path of movement of both of said stop-latches, an'abutment on said tally-disc for determining the stopping position of said stoplatch device, spring means for normally holding said stop-latch device in slightly advanced position relative to said abutment, and means on said tallydisc-for determining said advanced position of said stop-latch device.

2. In a counting machine, the combination with a rotatable spindle provided with a star-wheel, of means for successively delivering and propelling articles to be counted into actuating engagement with said starwheel, a rotary counter means in geared relation to said star-wheel spindle, a carryover dog fixed on said rotary counter means, a rotary'toothed transfer disc, the teeth of said transfer disc being operatively and successively engaged by said carry-over dog to transmit at the completion of each revolution of said counter meansa partial rotary movement to said transfer disc, a transfer dog fixed on said transfer disc, a rotary toothed tally disc, the teeth of said tally disc being operatively and successively engaged by said transfer dog to transmit at the completion of each revolution of said transfer disc a partial rotary movement tosaid tally disc, an axially pivoted stop-latch device having oppositely extending sto-platches, one of said stop-latches being longer than the other, a retractable spring projected stop means, an adjustable means supporting said stop-means to selectively position the same for projection into the path of movement of said longer stop-latch or into the path of movement of both stoplatches, an abutmenton said tally-disc for determining the stopping position of said stop-latch, spring means for normally holding said stop-latch devicein slightly advanced position relative to said abutment, and means on said tally-disc for determining said advanced position of said stoplatch device.

3. In a counting machine, the combination with a bed-plate of a rotatable feed 'table, a guide ring having a horizontal flange parallel to and spaced above said table to form a circular article runway arranged over the marginal portions of said table, said guide ring having an outlet passage communicating with said runway, and

a rotatable article propelling means having an operative portion thereof disposed in said outlet passage to extend transversely across said runway to successively grip and propel outward the articles moved around said runway to said outlet passage.

4. In a counting machine having a counting mechanism 1 and article feeding and guiding means, an article propelling means intermediate said counting mechanism and from and propel thesame into actuating enarticle feeding and guiding means, comprisga ement with'said counting mechanism. ing a driven wheel, a bracket arm pivotally n testimony, that I claim the invention arranged relative to the axis of said driven set forth above I have hereunto set my hand 5 wheel, an idler wheel mounted on the free thls' 25th day of November, 1921.

end of said bracket arm, a propeller belt mounted to run over said driven wheel and EDWARD P. DONNELLAN.- said idler Wheel, and said propeller belt ner- Witnesses: mally cooperating with said article feeding GEORGE D. RICHARDS, and guiding means to remove articles there- ADOLPH HANSEN. 

